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Latest Dhamma Talks |
Zoom meetings are one way to encourage some people to contemplate the Dhamma and it’s practice together. The live-streams are recorded and then shared on the YouTube channel later. This section of our website links to these uploads directly, and the subjects which were discussed are presented clearly alongside each link, so that you can identify and listen to subjects of particular interest to you.
01 September 2021
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Questions
1: I wanted to ask about the difference between Dana, Sila, Bhawana and Sila, Samadhi, Panna. I understand the meaning of the words but I am wondering if they refer to the same path but in different stages of development or if there is another reason to describe the path in these two different ways. |
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2: During meditation practice tears arise during entire Metta practice and towards the end of deep Vipassana practice. They are tears of sadness and felt as a tight pain in the abdomen and numb vibration in the heart. I know sadness is an impermanent fabrication of the mind. Why does this occur? Other than awareness, can something be done with this arising mind state? Is this a purification of the mind? This arising mind state is creating aversion towards meditation.
**Q3 to be addressed in the next teaching**
4: My respect, what do you call a Maha bodhisattva? One who has received confirmation by a Buddha, it can be a future paceekha Buddha or a Sambawa Buddha? And have fulfilled all his paramis already?
5: I suffer from chronic debilitating pain and have suffered for many years. I do try to observe equanimously and accept as much as I can but at times the pain is just too intense to bear and does not respond to pain relief. With increasing age and vicissitudes of life, the pain is becoming quite unbearable now. My question is - could I have some solace in the fact that at least I am exhausting some of my bad kamma in this lifetime by undergoing these sufferings which I have possibly accumulated over many past lifetimes.
6: As I do sitting meditation mindfulness of breathing 5 to 6 hours per day every day, my neck and body are aching so much. I change my meditation position to lying down as Buddha also recommended it in the sutta. But when l lay down, very soon I would fall asleep. I need to increase my mindfulness. Is there any other way not to fall asleep when doing lying down meditation.
7: Dear Ajahn, what is the meaning of the inscription at the bottom of the Buddha status behind you?
8: There are quite a few versions of loving kindness or metta meditation. Can you give us some instructions on how to do a metta meditation? And when should we do it?
Ajahn comments on the Chinese style full bowing practice – from standing – as a way to shift heavy negative mind states. This is especially useful at this time as a tool to lift sadness and brighten the mind.
**Q3 to be addressed in the next teaching**
4: My respect, what do you call a Maha bodhisattva? One who has received confirmation by a Buddha, it can be a future paceekha Buddha or a Sambawa Buddha? And have fulfilled all his paramis already?
5: I suffer from chronic debilitating pain and have suffered for many years. I do try to observe equanimously and accept as much as I can but at times the pain is just too intense to bear and does not respond to pain relief. With increasing age and vicissitudes of life, the pain is becoming quite unbearable now. My question is - could I have some solace in the fact that at least I am exhausting some of my bad kamma in this lifetime by undergoing these sufferings which I have possibly accumulated over many past lifetimes.
6: As I do sitting meditation mindfulness of breathing 5 to 6 hours per day every day, my neck and body are aching so much. I change my meditation position to lying down as Buddha also recommended it in the sutta. But when l lay down, very soon I would fall asleep. I need to increase my mindfulness. Is there any other way not to fall asleep when doing lying down meditation.
7: Dear Ajahn, what is the meaning of the inscription at the bottom of the Buddha status behind you?
8: There are quite a few versions of loving kindness or metta meditation. Can you give us some instructions on how to do a metta meditation? And when should we do it?
Ajahn comments on the Chinese style full bowing practice – from standing – as a way to shift heavy negative mind states. This is especially useful at this time as a tool to lift sadness and brighten the mind.
18 August 2021
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Questions
1 - What contributes to forming of personality? Should latent personality or old habits be changed as we further our practice? Should we intentionally change ourselves to be more "mature" and "grown up"? 2 - Usually after meditation the mental energy is so bright and awake and so powerful that could not fall asleep at night, can you advise how to balance it out, what is the best way to deal with it. |
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3 - Is Ajahn planning any online retreat?
4 - For a patient with dementia, how is his/her state of mind in terms of mindfulness when he/she departs from this world?
5 - In this covid pandemic, could it be possible for a person to die "accidentally" meaning that it’s not due to his karma but because of circumstances such as unknowingly contracting covid from a friend, or no hospital bed available, or lack of oxygen masks or ICU facilities when he was ill. So due to such circumstances he died even though its not his time yet?
6 - Could you please explain mental formations. If my understanding is correct, feelings and perceptions are part of mental formations. But feelings, perceptions, and mental formations are separate aggregates, so how does this actually work?
4 - For a patient with dementia, how is his/her state of mind in terms of mindfulness when he/she departs from this world?
5 - In this covid pandemic, could it be possible for a person to die "accidentally" meaning that it’s not due to his karma but because of circumstances such as unknowingly contracting covid from a friend, or no hospital bed available, or lack of oxygen masks or ICU facilities when he was ill. So due to such circumstances he died even though its not his time yet?
6 - Could you please explain mental formations. If my understanding is correct, feelings and perceptions are part of mental formations. But feelings, perceptions, and mental formations are separate aggregates, so how does this actually work?
04 August 2021
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Questions
1 - It is said 'Mind is the fore-runner". Is it correct to say all phenomenan are mind-made? Is the heavenly realm and hell realm mind-made as well? 2 - I find difficulty in finding spiritual companionship on the Theravadin Buddhist path as, my experience has been that, people are focused on own spiritual attainment and say the path is alone and to contemplate oneself using Dhamma. What should a lone spiritual seeker do with an emotional/mundane problem? |
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3 - Do you have suggestions for introverts dealing with lots of social interaction, particularly in the context of having to return to in-person working settings, set even more starkly in contrast by a long period of remote working.
4 - How should a pregnant person cultivate for the little one in the womb to be healthy baby that he/she can continue to practice the Dhamma during this difficult time of Covid. Knowing that by becoming a human is not easy. I am currently doing daily sitting and keeping to my precepts in a daily basis. Is it sufficient?
5 - As I start the cultivation journey, I take it very casually and things seems to be smooth and easy both meditation and reading sutta. However recently when I decide to read Surangama sutta, the mind gets very restless, the monkey mind gets very distracting and faith is slightly shaken. I am confused.
6 - Which is a good source to refer to on the Sutta Pitaka that provides a simple and clear explanation in English? How to make use of the Sutta Pitaka to help us to deepen our Dhamma understanding?
4 - How should a pregnant person cultivate for the little one in the womb to be healthy baby that he/she can continue to practice the Dhamma during this difficult time of Covid. Knowing that by becoming a human is not easy. I am currently doing daily sitting and keeping to my precepts in a daily basis. Is it sufficient?
5 - As I start the cultivation journey, I take it very casually and things seems to be smooth and easy both meditation and reading sutta. However recently when I decide to read Surangama sutta, the mind gets very restless, the monkey mind gets very distracting and faith is slightly shaken. I am confused.
6 - Which is a good source to refer to on the Sutta Pitaka that provides a simple and clear explanation in English? How to make use of the Sutta Pitaka to help us to deepen our Dhamma understanding?
Recordings of more online gatherings
<< click the link-images to each month >>
More livestream recordings with all the details on all the topics discussed and the questions answered, month by month continually since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
July 2021 |
May/June 2021 |
Mar/Apr 2021 |
Jan/Feb 2021 |
Oct/Dec 2020 |
Aug/Sept 2020 |
July 2020 |
June 2020 |
April/May 2020 |
If you are a subscriber to this website and would like to join the virtual gatherings:
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Please contact Joyce Lim, mention that you are a subscriber of this website and request the password and ID. If there is space available, you will need to download the zoom app. The free version is good enough. Please write your name and country in your user name so that we can see where people are joining in from. Questions or subjects to be covered in a follow up session can be asked via the chat function on the Zoom app once you’ve logged into the actual session. |
Ajahn Achalo Bhikkhu
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